Noted

Peoria's Chicago Grill on University Street closed a few weeks ago.

The former Country Diner in East Peoria is now open as El Mexicano.

Salt

I've been to the new Salt restaurant in Peoria Heights twice now for dinner. I tried to meet someone there for lunch once as well, but Salt is currently closed on Mondays.
The first time I ate there we stopped in on a whim on a Saturday night to see how busy it was and found the small restaurant booked, but were offered a seat at the bar to dine, which was fine with us.
The restaurant has a contemporary feel and is accented with salt block lights and salt block candle holders.
To start we had their Focaccia bread served with sea salt butter. The salt was distinctive and I found I preferred only a very small amount of butter.
When we placed our order, the bartender suggested we could split a salad, which came topped with cranberries and local Ropp curds along with candied walnuts. It was very good.
For my meal I ordered the pork Porchetta ($26), a slow roasted pork shoulder served with a sweet potato puree.
After tasting my husband's meal, salt crusted beef ($28), a filet cooked under a salt dough cap served with a root vegetable confit, I was envious. The beef was extremely tender and the root vegetables were incredible. You are not meant to eat the salt dough, but on a next visit my friend dared me to try it so I bit off a tiny chunk. Now that's what I call SALT! Makes for a delicious steak, though.
The bartender who served us was very knowledgeable about the menu and wine and was very attentive until the restaurant got a bit busier. He became distracted and though we had asked about desserts he soon dropped off our bill so we paid and figured we'd check it out another time.
On my second visit with friends, there was a mix up about who was serving our table and we ended up sitting for 15 minutes with no water or drink orders, but after that things were fine.
One friend ordered the vegetarian noodles which features noodles made of butternut squash and sweet potato. Another had the Amish chicken served with chicken mozzarella sausage. I sampled the sausage and it was delicious.
I went with the featured fish, a red fish served with asparagus and artichoke hearts garnished with capers and accompanied by a risotto. Again, the vegetables were incredible. I mused that if a chef could make vegetables taste as good as the ones I've tried at Salt, they could certainly serve only vegetables and strike it rich.
This time I did get to try dessert, the salted bacon brownie. Not only was it garnished with a thick slice of bacon, there were bits of bacon baked into the brownie batter and the whole thing was drizzled with caramel. Decadent.
I am looking forward to trying breakfast and lunch at Salt. A friend of mine said she had a salmon burger there that felt like it weighed two pounds and it was served with chips garnished with the salt of her choice.

O's Tacos -n- More

This week we headed to the former Lonny's Dairyland spot on Farmington Road for lunch at the newly opened O's Tacos -n- More.
When you walk in to the former dairy barn, there is a window to place your order straight ahead and a room of picnic table seating off to the left.
We placed our order for the two taco dinner, grilled chicken and had ours dressed with onion and cilantro instead of the tomato, lettuce and cheese. The soft corn tortilla tacos came with a side of mild green sauce and also a hot red sauce plus rice and beans for $6.50, and we added two drinks. While we waited we were given a small basket of chips and salsa to munch on.
The tacos were simple, but heaped with plenty of chicken and the staff was friendly.
The dining area could probably get a bit chilly in cold weather, but we were there on a 40 degree day and there were space heaters in the room and it was not uncomfortable.
There is also a drive up window for carry outs.

January, 2012 — O's Tacos has closed.

Noted

Vertucci's Chicago Style Eats in East Peoria closed early this month.
Los Jimadores has opened in the former Victor's restaurant spot in Washburn.
Juicy's Famous Steak and Lemonade on NE Adams in Peoria kicked off their grand opening over the past weekend.

Joe's Peoria

Last month we ate at Joe's Peoria for the first time. The sports bar is located along Pioneer Parkway in Peoria in the same strip mall as Taste of Thai.
Joe's features daily specials, a kid's menu and I have seen several coupons published in various local outlets.
For dinner I ordered their Buffalo chicken wrap ($6.95 with fries), billed as crispy chicken dipped in mild sauce. The chicken was indeed very crispy, and the wrap included shredded cheese and lettuce. The fries were the skin on variety that appeared to be hand cut.
My husband had a Reuben (also $6.95). He also added a side of chili ($2.95), which he was a big fan of.
We dined at the bar and hit a change in shift, but both bartenders took good care of us.
We've added Joe's to our list of places to stop for eats north of War Memorial.

Noted

I heard that Alpha Bravo Pub and Grill will open early next year in the former Harold's Hamburgers location in Sunnyland.
I believe that O's Tacos -n- More has opened on Farmington Road. I will have to head over there and check it out!

Noted

This week I heard the news that Gilles Tap on Route 150 in Kickapoo has closed, hopefully only temporarily. Gilles has some great history, established as a tavern in 1933 at the end of Prohibition.
Some of my oddest, most interesting bar experiences have taken place in that little white bar with it's scuffed wooden floors.

Small Business Saturday dining

I was the lucky recipient of a Small Business Saturday $25 American Express gift card from FedEx, which we used towards our dinner at Basta O'Neill's in Washington on Small Business Saturday.
I and a friend of ours were both tempted to order the special, walnut and pecan crusted tilapia served with vegetable risotto. Accompanied by crusty bread and salad, the meal was very good. Even better was the cannoli my husband and I shared after dinner, filled with a creamy and sweet ricotta mixture.
My husband had his standard there, fish and chips and we all shared a bottle of Cabernet.
The gentleman who waited on us was professional and provided great service for an enjoyable evening out.

Noted

The Pekin Daily Times reported that Jimbo's Jumbo is set to reopen in Pekin.

You may have heard about FedEx giving away 30,000 $25 gift cards to support Small Business Saturday, which falls on November 26. I managed to score one of the cards and will use it to supplement my support of local shops and restaurants this weekend.
Remember to support your favorite mom and pop restaurants by either dining there or spreading the cheer with gift cards for those on your "nice" list.

Noted

Salt restaurant on Prospect in Peoria Heights opens today serving breakfast, lunch and dinner.
A sign has gone up for the new restaurant in the former Steak n Shake location on NE Adams in Peoria which reads Juicy's Famous Steak and Lemonade.
A sign has also gone up at the former Lonny's Dairyland spot on Farmington Road that reads O's Tacos -n- More. In addition to dine in and carry outs, they will have a drive thru for your taco toting convenience.
Boss Hogs has taken over the Cracklin' Jake's spot in Banner.

Keil's Bar & Grill

The sign at Keil's Bar & Grill on S. Summit Drive in Sunnyland reads established 1994. The location did serve as home to other establishments during the past couple of years, such as the Golden Greek, however Keil's reclaimed the spot late this summer.
We stopped at Keil's for dinner last month before heading to a movie at the nearby Sunnyland Cinemas.
We entered the family-friendly dining room and were greeted and seated in a booth by the windows.
They were featuring some dinner specials which included a salad bar plus a pizza and pitcher special, however I decided to order the French dip which came with homemade fries or chips. I selected the chips, and my husband ordered a Reuben.
The chips were good as was the French dip, served on a long Ciabatta style roll.
Keil's serves food Tuesday-Saturday starting at 4 p.m. and opens at noon on Saturdays.

Noted

Firehouse Pizza on Main Street in East Peoria has opened a pub next door.

The 3rd Thursday Pack The Place Lunch will be held at Rizzi's on State. Print your coupon for 25% off your bill and head over this Thursday for some great Italian fare.

Salt restaurant plans to open very soon on Prospect in Peoria Heights. They've posted some photos on facebook that have my tastebuds intrigued.

Kudos to Smo-King Pit and June for receiving 100 on the most recently published restaurant inspections.

EP's Timeout and Sports Eatery

EP's Timeout sits along East Washington Street where Diana's Family Restaurant once did in East Peoria.
I've eaten at the sports-themed bar and restaurant about three times, twice for lunch and once for breakfast.
The most recent time we had lunch there, they had $5 lunch specials that included a soft drink, which is quite a deal. My husband and I both had hot beef, the comfort meal featuring white bread, roast beef and a scoop of mashed potatoes drenched in beef gravy. With the weather turning cooler, that meal sounds great about right now!
In addition to a Sunday breakfast buffet, which we have not tried, EP's breakfast features a good selection of the usual suspects: eggs, biscuits and gravy, waffles, French toast, pancakes, meat and the like. The food was better than the cheap breakfast fare some places offer up.
The menu runs the whole gamut, from pizza to wraps to salads and healthier fare, plus stuffed burgers and hot dogs. And yes, there are plenty of TVs in case you want to catch a game while you're there.

Noted

Thirty-Thirty Coffee Co. is now open on Main Street in Peoria.

I noticed a new sign for 2 Doors Down on Main Street at the former Whammy Bar location.

The Country Diner in East Peoria has closed. Looks like it will soon reopen as an El Mexicano of Peoria fame.

SOPs on Main in Peoria has closed.

Noted

Yesterday I read with dismay the news on Peoria.com that Mr. G's Chicago Style of Peoria had closed, and also received emails from some of my loyal readers about the closing. The Journal Star printed a story in today's paper about Mr. G's.

I also heard from a reader that a new Lebanese restaurant will open soon in Peoria's Parkway Plaza called Kabab-G.

I noticed some construction going on recently at the former Lonny's Dairyland location on Farmington Road in West Peoria, and someone gave me a tip that it may be opening as a Mexican restaurant.

The Ironstone Room

A few weeks ago we met my parents in Manito to have lunch at The Ironstone Room. We started off in Willett's Winery by sampling some wine and took a look at the banquet space between the winery and restaurant, which was new since our last visit.
The restaurant is housed in a former bank complete with vault. The walls are a warm yellow accented with white trim, and the room has an airy feel.
We started off with the Leon Millot red wine to accompany our food selections. I ordered the Ironstone Reuben ($7.95) with the bacon cheddar potato salad as my side. My husband ordered the Grand Gourmand salad ($8.95) with bleu cheese dressing.
Next we tried the Noiret, also a red wine, which really paired well with my meal. Thinking about it now, I'm regretting that I didn't go back to the winery after eating to pick up a bottle to take home.
The Reuben, topped with not only cheese but a slaw that included apples and a hint of horseradish, was served on crisped Pumpernickel. The creamy potato salad was filled with big cubes of cheddar and bacony goodness, and my husband kept stealing bites of it from my plate.
His salad was filled with Bavarian ham, honey roasted turkey, cheeses, greens and veggies topped with bacon crumbles and hard boiled egg.
Service was good and this stop made for a quite enjoyable Sunday destination.

Noted

EB Buildings and Lumber Co., established in 1960, is celebrating their grand reopening today and tomorrow in Princeville. There will be food available and prize drawings.

I've noticed that Thirty-Thirty Coffee Co. is almost ready to open their shop in the Kickapoo Building on Main Street in Peoria. Watch for them to open in early November.

Sentimental Journey

We headed out shopping in Washington last week for Moonlight Madness and paid a visit to several of the stores.
One of my first stops was Sentimental Journey, located in an old red brick building on the square. The store shares a building with the Framer's Gallery.
The first thing that snagged my attention was the Wee Forest Folk mice. I used to love looking at these mice in their costumes at The Mole Hole in Bloomington/Normal years ago! They are adorable.
My friend mentioned that she was a big fan of Vera Bradley, and Sentimental Journey had a nice selection of the bags.

Soon I also noticed several items made in USA in the shop including Eucalyptus Stoneware baskets. My friend explained to me that you warm the basket in the oven and it holds heat to keep your bread warm once it's on the table.
I also noticed some jackets made in the USA by Winding River. They were tapestry style patterns and are reversible as well. They looked like something my mom would enjoy for Christmas.
The shop was also filled with plenty of baby gifts, ornaments, and Christmas villages, just to name a few of the items.

Noted

The former Harold's Hamburgers in Sunnyland is being spruced up. I heard that the new tenant may be a bar.

The old Steak 'n Shake at 2613 NE Adams in Peoria also appears to be getting ready to reopen, this time  with some sort of a Chicago style food focus. The most recent restaurant located there was Lee Family Restaurant.

Round up

A few months after Peoria's Chevy's closed, I hear Bloomington's location has now suffered the same fate.
If you are looking for Mexican food in the area, there are a lot of options. El Mexicano and Mi Familia have good authentic style food. Lorena's Mexican Restaurant and Jalapeno's are a great option if you'd like to add a cerveza or margarita to your meal.
This Saturday we had dinner at Tequila's Mexican Bar & Grill in Washington while they had a live mariachi band in house. Our meals and service were good, and the band lent a fun festive flair to our experience.